After the End
by Dream Hime
Summary: Kagome was killed one day. Most people, like her, stop believing in life after death. So what's a girl to do when she finds out that there is way more life than anyone would ever think after death? Will the Soul Society ever be the same? Most likely not.
1. Chapter 1

New story in which I own no elements!!!!

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Kagome had always thought that when she died, she died. Was it to much to hope that there was no afterlife, no matter how much she threatened to follow others to it? Was it too much to hope that every time she had seen Kikyou open a portal to hell, she had inhaled hallucinogenic materials? Was it too much to hope that dead meant dead and that no one would ever bother her soul again?

It was too much. Kagome could remember the events that had killed her. Or, at least she could piece it together enough to know what had happened. She had been watching over Rin and Kohaku's son while the duo had gone to Sesshoumaru. Something had rustled in the grass and she had flung herself in front of the unwary child. She remembered seeing a flash of white and then everything went dark. That was when she figured she had died.

So why the hell was she plummeting through the sky at ungodly speeds while shrieking her head off? Kagome closed her eyes and sent up a fast prayer to whatever god she believed in after all her years. It didn't really work. Sometime before she reached the ground, she blacked out. She never saw the soft silver light that enveloped her form, slowing her descent before setting her on the ground.

"Momo-chan, just leave her there."

"We can't Shiro-chan! What if she gets kidnapped or something!?"

"Momo, we're in District One. This is the safest district out of the eighty that exist."

"That doesn't mean its safe! Please Toushiro? Can't we just keep her for one night?" Kagome listened to the faint grumbles of the boy.

"Fine." There was an excited shriek. "But only tonight. You know how hard it is to get food, even in this district."

"Thank you!!" there was a thump as something hit the ground. Kagome forced herself to open her eyes. She realized that she could barely manage that. Shutting her eyes, she shut away the pain and began a search to find whatever it was that inhibited her body movement.

"Whatever Momo. Help me get her on my back. We need to go back to the shelter." Kagome forced herself to remain lax under the two bumbling idiots. Soon, she felt arms under her knees as the two began their trek back to wherever they lived.

'_Got it!' _Kagome giggled mentally as she found the reason behind her body's unresponsiveness. Her soul was barely chained to her physical form. Painstakingly, Kagome began to pull her soul back into herself. She frowned when the person holding her stumbled suddenly.

"Momo!" Kagome winced mentally when her body was dropped. "C'mon, I'll get you out of here." Kagome refocused her attempts to pull herself together. With a final tug, her soul sunk into place. Slowly, she forced herself to open her eyes. She sat up and turned to where she could feel the person who had attempted to help her. Sapphire eyes widened in shock upon seeing a boy on his knees, struggling with all his might to stand up. Her eyes lowered to where a girl's body lay crumpled on the ground. She closed her eyes and focused, reining in all her free power. She frowned when it came back. Something felt different about it. Putting it off, she refocused her gaze on the two children in front of her.

"A-are you alright?" The white haired boy glared at her. "I didn't mean to release that much energy." Kagome frowned. Her voice seemed different too.

"No one release that much reiatsu without meaning it! You hurt Momo!" Kagome frowned as she pulled herself to her feet. Ignoring the glares the panting boy was giving her, she stumbled over to the girl.

"What's her name?"

"None of your business!" Kagome kneeled next to the girl. She bit her lip when she realized the girl's eyes were open.

"Please?" The white haired boy growled at her. Kagome sighed softly. "Momo? Come here please. It's safe. Promise." The boy snarled.

"What's that going to do!? You can't call her back like a child!"

"She is a child!"

"So what does that make you!?" Kagome frowned.

"What?"

"You aren't any older than us!" Kagome rolled her eyes and went back to softly calling the girl. It was then Toushiro felt the pulse of power that she let go with every call.

"Momo? I promise you its safe." The girl blinked her brown eyes and slowly pushed herself to her knees.

"W-what happened?" Kagome shrugged.

"You're friend said something about reiatsu. I have no idea what it is, but he made it sound like that was what hurt you." Momo blinked as she remembered the sudden increase of pressure she had felt. She had gone down because it felt as if someone had been choking her, trying to drain the life she had right out of her body. "I'm Kagome Higurashi."

"I'm Momo Hinamori. He's Toushiro Hitsugaya."

"Momo! Don't talk to her! She tried to kill you!"

"I did not!" Kagome snapped. "Why would I waste my time killing you!?"

"I don't know! You did it though!" Kagome gritted her teeth together when she caught the look of wonder on Momo's face.

"I've never seen Shiro-chan yell at anyone."

"It's Toushiro. And I wasn't yelling."

"No. Of course not." Momo nodded as if she understood.

"Well what do we have here!? Three children, I see." Kagome froze and searched for the owner of the voice. A man stood on top of a nearby roof, staring down at them. He jumped down, landing gracefully in a flutter of black robes. "My name is Kaname Tosen. May I know who you three are?" Kagome fell silent as she studied the older man. His purple hair was braided neatly and he waited patiently for their reply.

"I-I'm Momo Hinamori, sir."

"Toushiro Hitsugaya." Kaname nodded.

"And you?" He turned slightly.

"You're blind aren't you?"

"I am. But does that truly matter?"

"Kagome Higurashi is my name. It matters because I do not like you." Kaname chuckled.

"Tell me child, how can you not like a person who you don't know?"

"How can a person like a person they don't know?" Kaname frowned.

"Be that as it may, I have a question for you to answer." Kagome fell silent. "Who else was here with you?"

"No one." Kaname frowned.

"I wish to have the truth."

"Sir? It's only been the three of us here." Kaname smiled.

"So it is true. People with reiatsu stick together. How amazing." He began circling them slowly, looking them over as if they were prime specimen going to the chopping block. "You will come with me."

"Errr….I don't follow strangers." Toushiro elbowed the girl in the side.

"He's Shinigami, idiot. He can take us to the Academy." Kagome glowered at the boy.

"If I knew what the hell was going on, maybe I'd appreciate the offer." The mocha skinned man chuckled softly.

"Tell me, how long have you been here?" Kagome tipped her head to the side.

"If I had any idea where here was, I'd help you." Kaname frowned.

"Did the Shinigami who retrieved you not tell you where you were going?" Kagome frowned.

"Does this mean I'm dead!? Nooooo!!!! I had so much left to do in life!!" She whimpered softly as it finally hit her. Kaname glowered down at her. There was a soft sound as someone landed behind the tall black man.

"Kisuke Urahara, where you sent to pick her up?"

"Yep. Her soul slipped on though. Very odd considering that I tried to pick it up before she realized she was dead and went psycho." The blonde haired man smiled softly.

"Welcome child, to the Soul Society." Kagome stared up. The last thing she heard was a faint curse as she fell backwards.

"Kagome? Darling child, wake up!" There was an exasperated sigh as the person moved off to mumble to themselves. "I….get….Gotei Thirteen….first captain….school."

"Shut up Urahara. It's your own fault you have to go to that meeting."

"How was I supposed to know that she'd slip through? It isn't supposed to be possible!!"

"Well you shouldn't have been late." There was a soft growl of frustration. Kagome resisted to the urge to roll her eyes at the smug feeling she was getting off of Kaname Tosen.

"Would someone please shut up?"

"Soifon!"

"Urahara-san! I apologize! I was referring to Tosen! He annoys me so much." There was a soft chuckle.

"I know Soifon. He annoys me too. Tosen, isn't the ninth division captain calling for all its little men?"

"Be that as it may, I was called away from those duties by a powerful blast of reiatsu. I have come only to investigate."

"Yes, yes." Kisuke waved his hand dismissively. "You've found three residents of Rukongai, District one. I fail to see how they could possibly be of importance."

"They have reiatsu!"

"I know they do. Go to your division Tosen, before I report you to your captain." There was a faint mumble as the man left the room. "You as well Soifon."There was a soft sigh of dissent before the woman walked away. "I know you're awake." Kagome cracked open an eye. She was met with bright blue eyes.

"Ahhh!!!!!!!!!" She backed away, seeking to escape only to fall off the bed.

"Oh dear, did that hurt you?" Kagome glared up at the blond from the floor. She crawaled to her feet and rubbed her butt, wincing in pain.

"YES IT HURT ME!!!!!" Kisuke chuckled softly, amused at the small girl's antics.

"Now, now little one, no need to scream and shout."

"Why are you calling me little!!? I'll have you know I am twenty-two yea-."Kagome caught sight of a mirror. Staring back at her with electric blue eyes was a young version of herself, someone she hadn't seen since she was six. "What?" Her hands reached up to her face. Kagome gasped in shock and crawled to the mirror. Shakily, she lifted her hand and touched the mirror. She flinched when the cold surface made contact with her palm.

"Where you not this age when you died?"

"No!!!" Kagome wailed loudly. "It took me until I was eighteen to get the perfect booobs!!!! Now they're gone!!!" Kisuke sweat dropped. "What happened!!!? I've been reduced to my too vertically challenged self!!"

"Aa, little one?"

"Don't call me that!!!!" Kagome wailed even louder. "It's an insult to me!!"

"Little one." Kagome's wail was cut short suddenly. She turned away from the mirror slowly.

"Did you not hear what I said? Refrain from your pointless babble. Leave as well. I wish to be alone." Had Kisuke even doubted that she was older than she appeared, it was quickly killed in a bloodless way.

"You should not be changed. If you died one way, you stay that way until you die here."

"It would seem that your theory is wrong. I was not this old when I died. How is it that I have been reverted to an age younger than my own unless you are wrong?"

"Ah…well.er…" Kisuke stammered, trying to find a suitable response.

"I'm waiting." Kagome's electric blue eyes flickered away from Kisuke's as someone entered the room.

"Kisuke? Is there any reason this girl is on the floor?"

"Yamamoto-sama!" Kisuke smiled. "No, there isn't. She seemed enamored with her reflection."

"Why do I not believe you Kisuke?" The old man shook his head. "Come here, little girl."

"Kagome." Yamamoto frowned.

"Excuse me?"

"My name is Kagome. I suggest you call me by my name unless you'd like me to call you Old Man of the Unreasonably Long Beard with Ugly Scars." The man stared at her in shock. Kisuke fought to disguise his laughter.

"Aren't you a rude little girl?"

"Aren't you a very old man?" Yamamoto chuckled softly.

"Kagome then, what is it that you are doing on the floor?" Kagome pointed at Kisuke.

"He scared me." The man nodded.

"You and your friends shall begin attending the Shinigami Academy. Is that understood?"

"Why?"

"You have enough reiatsu to attend. Surely you would like to get off the streets."

"Which streets?" Yamamoto twitched.

"Urahara! Where did you find this idiotic brat!?" Kagome growled under her breath and pulled her body into a crouch. Slowly, she began filtering her magic through her body. Once again, she was struck by the wrongness of it. The old man turned back to her. "Pathetic powers like that don't frighten me." It was the tone of voice he used that made Kagome angry. No one talked to her like Sesshoumaru did except Sesshoumaru… and well, Hakudoushi…and Kikyou…and a couple other people that she couldn't name at that moment. But still! No one talked to her like that!

"You can't talk to me like that you insignificant man!" She was suddenly oppressed by power so thick that it choked her. Kagome closed her eyes, and pulled up more of her own. When she opened her eyes, she smiled wickedly at the picture the two men made on their knees. "Do not challenge someone who was more power, weakling." Kagome lifted a hand to feel for the Jewel. Surely, it would have left her in death. Her fingers connected with the cool orb. Kagome sighed. It hadn't left her. Even in death, she held it. Cocking her head to the side she felt people drawing near. She closed her eyes and drew her power back in. Looking back at the mirror, she frowned at the pure white outfit she wore. It annoyed her. Kagome eyed her reflection wearily. She was young again. It annoyed her. Her body wasn't as strong as it had been so near the prime of her life.

The door slammed open as men and women in black spilled in.

"Yamamoto-sama!"

"Are you okay Kisuke!?"

"Yamamoto-sama! What has happened here?" Kagome ignored them as she continued to stare at her reflection. It was haunting, seeing herself at such a young age again. It wasn't supposed to be humanly possible. Faintly, Kagome wondered if the swords that had been bound to her soul had followed her to the Soul Society as well. If they had, it was a sure bet that her Shadow had raised hell.

"You there!" Kagome ignored the man who was calling her. She sighed again as her fingers closed around the jewel. Sometimes she hated her life. This was one such time. "I know you can hear me!!" Kagome met his eyes in the mirror. The man gasped softly. Kagome turned to face him.

"What is it?"

"I-I…What did you do to them!?" Kagome giggled softly.

"Are those feathers on your eyebrow?" The man glared.

"Don't try to change the subject! I, Yumichika Ayasegawa, will discover how you brought harm to our most esteemed general." Kagome blinked, forcing her features into mock sadness.

"How could I hurt such a big man!? To make matters worse, two big strong men!!" Yumichika paused, baffled as to how that could have possibly happened.

"Errrr….." Kagome smiled. Bingo.

"Enough!" The old man pushed himself to his feet. "Kisuke!"

"Yes sir?" Kisuke managed to get out.

"Do you still own that suppressor?"

"You told me to destroy it sir." Yamamoto shot a side glance at the man who was still panting on his knees.

"You know as well as I that you never destroy your magnificent creations." Kisuke smiled crookedly.

"Eh…heheh?" Kisuke pushed himself to his feet unsteadily. "You'll suppress her?"

"She's worse than Kenpachi. When he releases his reiatsu, which isn't often, it is not for the fun of it." Kisuke nodded and disappeared into the crowd of Shinigami. Kagome settled her weight evenly in her crouch as she listened to the whispers around her. Sighing once more to herself, she forced the happiness that had always fooled people.

"Hi! My name's Kagome Higurashi." She cocked her head cutely to the side. "What's yours?" She chirped softly. Pushing herself to her feet, she kept the arrogant stance of her older body at bay and switched into something so adorable it would make Rin proud. Clutching the sleeve of her shirt, she blinked up at Yamamoto. "And where am I exactly?" She caught the slight softening in the man's eyes. She knew he would still suppress her powers, but this, this was a start.

"Welcome to the Soul Society, little one. I am Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai. It is a pleasure to meet you."

"And I you." She threw herself into a hasty curtsy, tipping over to the side and falling. With a cute murmur of ouch, she stood back up. "I am so clumsy, ne?" She smiled brilliantly, working her much younger body to its fullest potential.

Who was it that said that cuteness didn't pay?

It couldn't have been her.

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I was bored…okay? Review if ya think I should go on…or if I should just end my pathetic life.

-Dream Hime


	2. Beginning Day

Kagome glared at her reflection. Around her ankle was a delicately wrought piece of silver. Kisuke had suppressed her powers with a flimsy piece of silver, cutting her off from most of it. He had left her with a small portion, at best enough to purify a low level demon. Kagome growled. That amount of power was worthless to her. But then, he said that when she was in school, more of the restraints would be lifted because she needed to learn how to do things with it. She sighed softly as she turned to the waiting captain.

"Are you done staring at your reflection?"

"Why? Would you like to stare at yours instead?" Kagome snorted. "Don't bother. You'll only break the mirror." Kisuke chuckled and ruffled her hair.

"You're so precious Kagome-chan. Now if only you'd stop being so bitchy." Agome shrugged.

"Can't. It's part of who I am." Kisuke turned away from her, missing the dark glare she threw at him.

"Soifon!!!" There was a crash as the startled woman jerked upright from where she had dozed off.

"Yes Kisuke-san?"

"Be a dear and take Kagome to the Academy. Let her room with her friend. The one Tosen found her with."

"As you wish sir." Kagome turned around to stare at Soifon. She studied the other woman for a while and then smiled softly.

"How are you today?" Soifon blinked in surprise. From the time she had entered the room, the small girl had insulted Kisuke Urahara more than any other person she had ever witnessed. Now she was acting sweet?

"I am well. And you?"

"As well as can be expected when have of what is you is sealed away in a place you can't reach unless someone says the magic word."

"Now, now. It isn't that bad." Kagome glared at the blonde man. "Okay, so maybe it is. But at least you have some reiatsu left to use. Soifon, Academy, now." Soifon nodded.

"Come on Kagome. Let's go get the things you'll need." She held out her hand to the small girl. Navy blue eyes stared at the offered hand with something close to disgust. Soifon pulled back her hand quickly, feeling a mix of anger and shame. The little girl had scared her. The girl turned to look at her reflection one more time. It was then Kisuke realized what was different about her.

"Your eyes! What happened?" Kagome turned to look at him. He cowered for a second; the look in her eyes was something one would reserve for staring at a disgusting bug.

"You sealed my power you idiot. What did you think would happen?"

"That never happened before!" Urahara defended. Kagome snorted. She played with the billowy sleeves of her outfit as she walked by him.

"Unless I heard wrong, you've never really used it before, have you idiot?" As she left the room, Soifon met Kisuke's eyes. Where had the sweet girl gone?

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Kagome glared at the school uniform before switching her gaze to the man that was holding it. Yumichika Ayasegawa smirked.

"What is it?" Kagome started at him for a second longer before her eyes turned watery.

"I look fat in red!!! How could you give me such a hideous thing!!!!?" She wailed, catching the attention of the other people in the store. "Soifon!! Tell me he's lying and that that isn't what I have to wear!!!" Soifon twitched.

"I'm sorry Kagome. But that is the school uniform for the girls. You have to wear it." Kagome sniffed. She turned away from Soifon to Yumichika.

"Can't I wear the boy's uniform instead? I have bad memories in red. I look fat and pale and unpretty!!!!" Yumichika stared at the crying girl as memories of his days in the Academy returned. He had hated his uniform with a passion, but no one had understood him enough to give him another color. This little girl was in the same predicament and he would save her!!!

"Little one I understand what you are going through!! The world does not understand what the beautiful people need to survive. I, Yumichika Ayasegawa, shall bestow upon you the boy's uniform. You will look stunning in the way I was never allowed to during school!!" Kagome's tears stopped suddenly.

"R-Really?" She breathed cutely. "Y-You would do that? For me?"

"I will!" Kagome smiled brightly as she hugged the man.

"Thank you!!!!" She smirked into the folds of his clothes. '_Score!! Now I don't have to look like Kikyou, even though no one knows who she is!!!!!'_

"You don't have to thank me!! Let me get your uniform." As Yumichika ran off to the storeroom to find Kagome's size in the boy's uniform, Kagome turned to Soifon.

"I don't have to wear it after all!!!" The small girl cheered. Her joy was soon cut off by a vaguely familiar voice.

"Please tell me they aren't really sending you to the Academy with us." Toushiro ground out. "You'll just ruin it for everyone."

"Toushiro!! Don't say that!!" Momo smiled softly at the girl. "Hi! Remember us?" Kagome nodded.

"Uh-huh. You two are the ones I met before that Tosen guy showed up!" Kagome smiled. "How have you been?"

"Great!! Toushiro and I have been sponsored. So we're being put into the Academy without that debt hanging over our heads when we get out. Have you?" Kagome turned to look at Soifon. She nodded.

"Yea. I guess."

"Who sponsored you?" Kagome turned to Toushiro to answer, only to be cut off by the return of Yumichika.

"Here you are my dearest child!! Don't ever be afraid to ask my help for anything! In fact, I shall help you pick up everything you will need for the Academy!!!" Grabbing her hand, he all but dragged her away from the two people she was talking to. The ten year old girl looked down at the six year old boy.

"Wasn't that odd?"

"Not any weirder than the Academy picking me up at this age." Momo sighed. That was true. Besides, the only reason she was there was because of Toushiro and Kagome. She hadn't been wanted by the Academy before because they had deemed her weak. Now, they would take her because of the promise of power Toushiro had.

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Soifon giggled softly at the bewildered expression on Kagome's face. She had been dragged around the store and had had everything that could ever pop up in class be dropped on her. In the end, there was no possible way for Kagome to carry her purchases out of the store. It was a pleasant surprise when Yumichika promised to deliver it to her dorm room. Soifon could only wonder what her roommate would say to the clutter that was sure to happen. Suprisingly, it was Kagome who found a way to get rid of half the mountain of junk that she would soon own.

"Yumichika-sama? As much as I appreciate your help, you know that I can't have all of this. How about this. You keep these things around for me, and anytime I need them, I'll ask you for it." Yumichika smiled widely. It would be great to help the little girl!! Not only that, but it would give him a reason to see her again and assist her in her studies so that she would be the most beautiful and powerful in her class!!! Kagome stared at the man as he went all starry eyed. She edged away from him and hid behind Soifon. So what if she was supposed to be twenty-two? They all thought she was six! Soifon chuckled as the small girl inched her way behind her. She couldn't blame her for hiding. This man was scary. She stepped back slowly, waiting for the girl to catch her drift and follow. As they quietly escaped the shop, they were stopped by Momo.

"Kagome? Wouldn't it be better if you took your uniform?" Kagome flinched from her hiding place as it snapped the man out of his trance.

"Where are you going!!? You mustn't forget to take this! Or this!" Kagome sighed as the man placed too many bags to count at her feet. He frowned when he noticed that she was glaring at the bags. Then,Yumichika realized that he had overburdened the tiny girl. Sighing to himself, he removed a good amount of the bags. "These are the basics. I'll send over your stuff tomorrow. The rest of it I'll hold onto." He placed some of the bags in her hands. Kagome smiled brightly.

"Thank you Yumichika-san!!!" The man smiled brightly, his teeth sparkling.

"Go forth and be beautiful my dearest!!! Do me proud!!" As Kagome escaped the store, she heard Toushiro snicker from the counter. She couldn't find fault with him though. If it had been him being haunted by the odd man, she would have laughed her ass off.

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When Kagome entered her dorm room later that day, she expected to see someone else in the room. She was wrong. There was no one in her room. She idly wandered around, looking to see if there was another door that would lead to a different room. There wasn't. She turned to Soifon, who was standing at the door patiently.

"Wasn't I supposed to have a roommate?"

"You were. But you were sponsored by someone of great importance. He believes it would be beneficial for you to remain alone. At least, until you prove your worth to him." Kagome frowned.

"Wouldn't it have been better if he had given me an annoying roommate and made me work to get away from them? Like this, I have no need to work, because I have nothing I want." Soifon blinked. The small girl was actually right.

"I…I don't know." Soifon smiled softly. "But at least you'll be able to fit the things Yumichika is sending over." Kagome shivered. She had a feeling that it would be a lot of things. "But, please. You are new to this school. It would be best for you to understand what this school is about. Read the texts that have been delivered. Understand what is expected of you." Kagome frowned and tilted her head to the side.

"What is expected of me? And who is my sponsor?"

"Your sponsor's identity is a secret. He mentioned something about his lieutenant getting jealous and searching you out. We expect great things from you. Now, I'll be here with Kisuke tomorrow to undo some of the bindings on your suppressor. It will remain that way fro the rest of the time. Do not abuse your power." Kagome sighed.

"I understand." Soifon nodded.

"Good." She walked into the room and placed her share of bags on the table. "I shall see you tomorrow then." Soifon turned to the door. It wasn't until she was closing it that the small girl called out.

"Soifon?"

"Yes?" The girl opened her mouth to say something but hesitated. Something close to fear flashed through her eyes.

"Never mind." Kagome reached up and her small fingers encircled the jewel. Soifon's eyes softened.

"You can ask me."

"Do…Are we supposed to carry over things from our life before?" Soifon frowned.

"No. But it isn't unheard. Usually, it is something that you were so attached to that even in death, you couldn't part with it. It's attached to your very soul." Kagome sighed.

"So I was right…"She murmured softly. "Thank you Soifon."

"Is that chain special to you?" Kagome shook her head.

"I despise it." She turned away from Soifon. Smiling sadly, the woman closed the door, leaving Kagome to her thoughts. Kagome pulled off the chain and held it in front of her face at eye level. "So, you're attached to my very soul." She stated mockingly. "How sweet." With a flick of her wrist, she flung the jewel away from her. "It's a grand thing that no one knows what you are. I won't have to protect you anymore." Digging into the bags, Kagome searched for a brush. She found a bow instead. Pulling it out, she gazed at the pastel colored wood and smirked. "Well, well, well. Looky what I found." Kagome placed it on the table as she methodically emptied the rest of the bags. Her navy blue eyes clouded over with thoughts as she put her belongings away. After, she was left with her brush, a wooden box, and her chain. Murmuring softly to herself, she placed her only true belonging in the box. As the words of an ancient spell tumbled out from her mouth, Kagome couldn't help but be elated.

This was in a way, a second chance at a decently normal life….right?

If only she knew how wrong she was.

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Kagome woke to the sound of someone banging on her door.

"Ten more minutes Shippou!!" She rolled over and pulled the pillow over her head. When the door opened, she ignored it. At least, until someone's very cold hands grabbed her ankles and yanked her off the bed. With a shriek, she tumbled to the floor in a mass of soft blue sheets and pillows. Looking up, she saw Kisuke staring down at her.

"Wakey, wakey! It's time to remove some of the suppression bindings for you to go to class!!!" Kagome glared at him from her spot amongst the pillows. Slowly, she stood, pushing pillows out of her way. When she was finally done, she realized that Kisuke was staring at the box on her table.

"What?"

"What did you do to it?" Kagome frowned and then shrugged.

"I wanted to see if I could still do things I could when I was alive. I had enough power to do that."

"Reiatsu." Kisuke corrected her distractedly while he picked up the box. "Not power. Didn't you read?"

"Seeing as I wasted all the reiatsu I was allowed to play with the box, I wasn't able to. Well, not get through all the books. I read the more interesting ones," Kisuke nodded as he attempted to open the box.

"Good morning Kagome."

"And to you Soifon." The woman smiled.

"What is he doing?" Kagome giggled.

"He's attempting to open a box I sealed shut." Soifon frowned.

"Why would you seal a box shut? And how? You have not yet been given lessons on how to use your reiatsu." Kagome shrugged, giggling softly when Kisuke put the box down.

"Well, now, time to remove those pesky bindings." He sat on the floor and stared at the delicate chain. Encircling her delicate ankle with his hands, he began to chant even while fearing for the small child's life. Her sponsor had assigned her into a class that was advanced. She knew nothing of the life she was getting into and yet he had placed her into an area where the best went. Finished, he released her ankle and was gifted with a surge of power washing over him. Kisuke frowned, wondering if he had released to much. He moved to grab her ankle again when she danced out of his reach. He looked up to see her smiling brightly.

"Thank you!!" Her eyes were now a softer blue, like a lake.

"You're welcome. Now, prepare for class!!" Kagome grumbled under her breath as she gathered her stuff for a shower. She disappeared inside the bathroom. Soifon chuckled softly at the girl as she looked around the room. Making up her mind, she walked into the small kitchen to get the girl something to eat on her way to class. When the door opened again, twenty minutes later, Soifon kicked Kisuke out of the room.

"You're going to be very late if you are not ready within the next minute." Kagome shrugged as she got ready. It was simple to pull on the layers of clothes and tie back her hair. Finished, she picked up a slim book and walked out of the door, leaving Soifon behind. Soifon followed her, closing the door. "Here." She gave the girl an apple. "You would do best to eat it." Kagome nodded.

"Thank you." As they walked towards the Academy in companionable silence, Soifon found herself looking down at the girl every couple of seconds.

"Aren't you nervous?"

"About what? A bunch of brats like me? What is there to fear?" Kagome smiled up at her sweetly. Soifon reached up to open the door. Instantly, the class inside fell silent.

"You are late!! I will not stand for this insult!! Present yourself so that I know who…I….Kagome!!!! My beautiful friend!!!!" Kagome paled as Soifon snickered.

"Please, no. Don't do this to me." She grabbed Soifon's hand as the woman began walking away. "You can't torture me like this!! It isn't right!!!!"

"Sorry. Sponsor's rules." Kagome dropped the woman's hand as she turned back the class. Her shoulders drooped as she walked inside.

"Introduce yourself my dearest!!!"

"My name is Kagome Higurashi. I have some sponsor who won't tell me his name, an insane man who places suppressions on little girls, a lady who leaves her charge in the grips of scary men…and that's around it." The class murmured softly.

"My dear!!! You look stunning in that uniform!! I knew I was right to clothe you in another color!!" Kagome looked down at her uniform.

"Oh yea, I hate red." She smiled brightly as the class looked at one another. Why was she getting special treatment?

"Kagome!! Go sit by…..Rukia! Hand up!!" Kagome watched as an older girl raised her hand. She walked up the steps to where the girl sat and slipped into the seat next to her. Rukia looked at her and then looked away. "Now, back to class!! What are hollows!!?" Kagome moaned and slammed her head into the desk. This was going to be boring, wasn't it? Half an hour later, she was woken up.

"Move. You're in my way." Kagome sat up and stared into cool brown eyes.

"Your point being?"

"Look, it's time to train with our swords. Just because you're new, it doesn't mean you can disregard these classes." Kagome shrugged and stood. As people filed past her, she caught a glimpse of white.

"Toushiro!!" She ran over to his side. The white haired boy looked over at her in obvious annoyance.

"Why'd they place you in an advanced class? You aren't anything special."

"I could say the same for you." The two glared at each other. Simultaneously, they hmphed and looked away. When they reached the dojo, Kagome looked around, eager to see it. Her eyes were met with a plain room that was rather dull. Following the students, she walked to the walls and began inspecting the swords. The people around her picked up the ones they had chosen in the beginning. Next to her, Toushiro also inspected the dulled blades.

"These swords suck."

"Couldn't say it better myself." The duo sighed. Suddenly, a flash of white caught Kagome's eyes. Wandering over to it, she found a sword that wasn't in as crappy shape as the rest of them. It had an almost perfect balance. Next to her, Toushiro sighed.

"You would find one of the better swords, wouldn't you?" Kagome shrugged and placed it back on its hook. Confused Toushiro followed her down the rack until she came to a halt. Then he saw what had caught her attention.

"Yumichika-sensei?"

"Yes my dear?"

"Could I have that one? And the one next to it?" Yumichika nodded and removed the swords she had indicated. He smiled when he realized that she had picked out two of the last remaining swords that were actually useful. Most of his other students had failed him in that aspect. They had just picked a sword and left. She chose hers carefully. He handed her the two and was surprised when she handed the second to the white haired boy next to her.

"Thanks." Yumichika nodded as he went back to the rest of the class.

"Why'd you get me one too?"

"Would you like to use the crappy swords or one that you'll fight with best?" Smiling, Toushiro gave Kagome an awkward one sided hug before they joined the rest of the class. Once there, people who already had partners walked away to their normal spots. In the end, it left Kagome and Toushiro together. Toushiro sighed.

"This is getting bothersome. I do not want to be stuck with you through my entire Academy experience." Kagome smirked.

"Awww…come on Toushi. I could teach you a thing or two." Yumichika sighed as he watched the small girl and her opponent. When the fight began, he was startled out of his reverie by a cry of pain. Toushiro lay on the ground, clutching his hand. Kagome stood over him with her sword at her side.

"What happened here?"

"I disarmed him." Kagome tilted her head to the side as a cute look of confusion came over her face. "Wasn't that the point?" Yumichika sighed.

"I take it you're too advanced for him. I'll get you another partner." Kagome shook her head.

"No!! I like Toushiro!! Besides, I can just remember stuff from before!! I can help him be better!!" Yumichika looked at Toushiro who was pushing himself to his feet. The white haired boy glared at the other six year old.

"Bring it on!!!!" Yumichika could only shake his head. He had a feeling that those two would be the horror of his class.

If only he knew how right he was. It wouldn't take more than a year for Kagome to be able to master some of the lower level spells that were forbidden and less than that for Toushiro to learn to shunpo without instruction. The poor man wouldn't know what hit him when they were through with him.


	3. Kido Class

Kagome giggled as she managed to disarm Toushiro again.

"You know, I should have left you with a sucky sword. What good was it to give you a balanced one when you can't even hit me? Even worse, I can disarm you with my eyes closed!!!" She dodged out of the way as he swung his sword in a graceful arc, almost catching her off guard.

"Would you shut up!?"

"Why? Mad I can kick your butt Toushi?" Toushiro growled.

"It's Toushiro!! Damn you!!!!" He rushed her again, only to have his meet swiped from under him by the blunt side of her sword.

"Don't get angry Toushi. It makes you an even worse fighter. Besides, the enemy will taunt you. If you give them such a weakness, they will take it." Toushiro pushed himself to his feet and glared at the only other six year old in the class. He opened his mouth to say something only to be cut off by Yumichika.

"Oh children!!!! I have been called away by one of the many esteemed captains. I shall be back soon. When I return, I'll arrange a spar between a certain new child in this class and one of the better swordsmen." The class stopped their individual spars and turned to face their sensei.

"What do you mean sensei?" Yumichika smiled.

"We seem to have a little genius on our hands. I want to see how great she is." Kagome stiffened. Next to her, Toushiro opened his mouth to protest. Even if the girl was annoying, she was his partner, and he'd be damned if he let anyone else have her. "You'll get her back Toushiro. Don't worry."

"Who's she going to fight then?" Yumichika smirked.

"Why, that's a surprise. As for now, I will be leaving this class to talk to the captain. Do behave." Yumichika left the classroom quickly, eager to return to see what Kagome would do with the opponent he wanted to play, er test her skill with. Toushiro turned to Kagome when he heard her sigh.

"What?"

"I have a feeling I'm going to hate the rest of my life here." Almost as if on cue, a boy deemed it time for him to break in the two new kids.

"Oi! Who do you think you are? You think you're special?" Kagome snorted. "What? Too good to answer back? I bet you're one of those rich kids. They always seem to let their money get them into places they don't belong." A red headed boy walked towards them. "So, who are you?"

"Weren't you listening when I introduced myself? My name is Kagome Higurashi. I have no family, only a sponsor who seems to like being mysterious."

"He probably doesn't want to be associated with you because he knows you'll fail!!"

"Then what was the point in being my sponsor?" Kagome sighed as she idly began inspecting her sword. It would give her something to do other than listen to this idiot. The boy opened and closed his mouth, trying to find an answer. Finding none, he growled.

"Look at me when I'm talking to you, you little midget." Kagome didn't bother to look at him. "I'm talking to you here!"

"I've noticed." The derisive tone in Kagome's voice made the boy flinch.

"Hey! You can't talk to me like that!!"

"Like what?" Annoyed, the boy didn't answer, choosing instead to attack. Kagome barely glanced at him as she stepped out of the way of his weapon. He spun around, lashing out with his leg. Kagome danced out of range and then did the worst thing one could ever do…she stuck her tongue out at him.

"Is that the best you can do?" With a battle cry, he tossed his sword aside and lunged at her. Kagome simply dodged his attacks right before they hit. On his last punch, Kagome leapt over him nimbly, kicking him in the back and then landing. She turned to see his face hit the ground. "That would hurt."

"You there!" Kagome turned to see the older girl bearing down at her. It was the same girl who she now sat next to. "What do you mean by provoking Renji into a fight?" Kagome blinked.

"What?"

"What!?" How the hell did she provoke the idiot into a fight when he started it!?" Toushiro glared at the approaching girl.

"Stay out of this." She barely spared him a glance. "No one touches Renji, except me!!" Kagome blinked innocently.

"Is he your boyfriend?" Rukia backpedaled.

'What? Me and Renji!? Are you serious?" Kagome shrugged.

"No need to get all defensive. I was just wondering." Rukia twitched. Kagome smirked. Yumichika reappeared.

"I'm baaacccccccccckkkkkk!!!!" He blinked when he saw Renji on the ground rubbing his nose. "Abarai? Why are you on the floor?" The red head glared at Kagome who was whistling innocently.

"Ask her!" Yumichika looked over at the small child.

"Would you care to elaborate Higurashi?"

Wellllll…..no, not really." Yumichika twitched.

"Excuse me?"

"I said no." The girl turned away from him. "Besides. He started it." It was then Yumichika understood. She would take no blame because it wasn't truly her fault that the boy was on the floor. It was something most likely related to Renji's nasty attitude when it came to th-….ohhhh.

"Abarai, did you attack because you believe she's getting special treatment?"

"So what if I did?" Yumichika sighed.

"What she's getting into is in no way special. According to Urahara, she arrived yesterday. She's been put into advanced classes and her sponsor refuses to let himself be known. Does that even sound like special treatment to you?"

"Where did she come from then? I mean, she's trained already, so this can't be too hard." Yumichika opened his mouth to answer only for it to be taken out of his hands.

"When he said she arrived yesterday, he meant it literally. She arrived to the Society early yesterday morning. After doing something with her reiatsu, we were discovered by Kaname Tosen and brought here. We were both sponsored by someone although I know the identity of mine, she doesn't."

"That doesn't explain why she can fight!"

"I died in a time when I needed the skills to keep my own butt alive. Someone who cared for me taught me as much as he could. On the day I left his side to baby-sit his daughter's child, I was killed. This is where I ended up." It was then that Kisuke walked through the door.

"Yumichika!!! I needed one more thing from you."

"What is it?"

"Can I borrow little Kagome. I have a theory that I want top share with her." Yumichika sighed, his feathered eyelashes twitching in annoyance.

"Fine. Have her back in time for kido."

"Oh, I will. Come on Kagome." Around her, whispers erupted as they realized that it was a captain that had come to see the child. Kagome handed her sword to Yumichika.

"Do I get to use that one every time I come to practice?"

"Yes, now run along. You have half an hour before kido class begins." Kagome nodded and walked away. She hesitated at the doorway.

"Toushi?"

"What?"

"I'm looking forward to kicking your ass again later." Laughing madly, she followed Kisuke out of the class.

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"Sooooooooo….where are we going?"

"My institute."

"Why?"

"Because I find you interesting."

"Why?"

"Because I haven't forgotten that you've somehow reverted in age."

"Why?"

"Because that is an interesting thing and I want to know how it happened."

"Why?"Because then I could do so much with that power."

"Why?"

"Because then I wouldn't age."

"Why?"

"Because then I wouldn't die and return to the mortal world."

"Why?"

"Because it gets tiring to die and return to the Society without former memories of being here."

"Why?"

"Because you always have a sense that you know something without meaning to."

"Why?"

"Because that memory is right under the surface."

"Why?"

"Because you've returned to a place where it knows."

"Why?" Kisuke twitched.

"Because you died."

"Why?"

"Because it's a natural process of life."

"So why try to discover what makes me young again when dying is a natural thing?" Kisuke stopped walking.

"Is that what you were trying to get at this whole time?"

"Why?"

"How am I supposed to know what goes on in that head of yours?" Kagome smiled.

"I dunno." Kisuke resumed walking, peering down at the small girl every other minute.

"Was it true?"

"Was what true?"

"That you were raised in an era…born…to….no. It couldn't be that simple." Kisuke looked down at the girl before sighing.

"What couldn't be that simple?"

"Do you know that there is a book on the birth dates of all the souls we collect?"

"Nope. Should I?"

"It's a book in the possession of Yamamoto-sama. But I have a feeling he'll let me have it for a little bit." As they exited the Academy, Kisuke reached down and grabbed Kagome's hand. He leapt over a wall, carrying the child with him. Hew as momentarily sad when he realized that she wasn't about to scream and cling to his hand like a living leech. Instead, she took the time that they were in the air to observe her surroundings silently. When they landed, he noted that unlike most others, she didn't crumble to her knees. He leapt off the wall again, dragging her with him.

"So you think you'll find why I'm younger now?"

"I believe I will." He dropped between two walls and began approaching General Yamamoto's division building. Once there, he knocked on the door. Chōjirō Sasakibe opened the door.

"Urahara, what a pleasure to see you again."

"Now, now Sasakibe, no need to drown me in the pleasantries. Is Yamamoto-sama here?"

"Indeed." The grey haired man turned away. "Follow me." He glanced at the small girl who was accompanying Urahara but was met with a face of blank curiosity. Confused, he sped up. "Captain? You have visitors."

"I do?" Yamamoto looked up from where he sat by a kettle of tea. "Oh, Urahara, and the little girl."

"Kagome."

"Yes, Kagome. Thank you little one."

"Anytime."

"So what brings you here Kisuke?"

"Could I possibly look in the book that holds the date of birth and date of death?"

"Why?" Sighing, Kisuke prepared to launch into one of the biggest lies of his life. He was saved by the child next to him.

"He wants to see how I could have possibly accumulated so much power in my six years of life. He also doesn't believe that I was raised in a time where even females were given the training to save themselves." Yamamoto frowned.

"Only for a couple of minutes may you look into it. Any longer will seal your fate." Yamamoto stood and began leading them away. "Is that understood?"

"Yes sir." Kisuke was quick to reply. Upon reaching the book, Yamamoto reached forward and took it off the stand. He handed it to Kisuke. Kisuke in turn dropped to his knees next to the girl. "Find the page." Kagome stared at him blankly as she took the book from him. Flipping through it blindly, she stopped on a page and returned the book. Kisuke looked down and quickly skimmed through it, realizing with a start that there was more than an entire paragraph on her. As he read through, he had to actively work to contain his excitement at the discoveries he made. When the book was snatched form his hands, he made a sound of protest. Kagome only glared at him as she skimmed through the book. Finding the information she desired, she closed it with a snap and handed it back to Yamamoto.

"Thank you very much sir." She bowed respectively. "I need to return to the Academy. I cannot miss my first kido lesson." Kisuke stood and bowed as well.

"I take it you have the information you desired?"

"Yes. Apparently, she was being truthful when she told me that." Yamamoto nodded and dismissed them. As they walked away, Kisuke could barely contain his excitement. When they reached outside, he simply leapt over the wall, once again dragging Kagome with him.

"What, no questions?"

"I'll ask them later, when I can think of what I learned more. I'm interested in your story. But as you have said, you have a kido class to attend. I've learned to not stand in the way of trainees and their kido."

"Aa. But you can drag them away from much needed classes in swordsmanship." Kisuke chuckled.

"I saw you in there. Your skill exceeds those of that class level. No doubt your sponsor will enjoy pushing you into an even more advanced class." Kagome smiled sweetly, distracting Kisuke from a smooth landing.

"Tell my sponsor that if he removes me from the class I'm currently in, I'll hunt him down and feed him his own tongue." Urahara stared at the small girl in shock. "Could you get a move on? I would like to see what kido is all about." He nodded and leapt over the last wall. Walking through the school with her, he led her to the place Yumichika was most likely to be. Through the door, he heard a voice chanting.

"Disintegrate, you black dog of Rondanini! Look upon yourself with horror and then claw out your own throat! Bakudo number nine!! Hit!!" Kagome opened the door in time to see a dummy bet surrounded by a red light. She sighed. If she was supposed to remember that whole long speech, it was going to be a reaalllly long day.

"Kagome!!! You made it back just in time my student!!" Kagome twitched when Yumichika grabbed her up in a hug. "Hooray!!! Now you can prove your worth in kido!!!" Off to the side, Toushiro stifled a snicker. Kagome sighed in the arms of her teacher as he let her go. "Now the chant is simple to learn. It is: Disintegrate, you black dog of Rondanini! Look upon yourself with horror and then claw out your own throat! Bakudo number nine. Hit. Now, unlike me, you can practice on your classmates. After all, I doubt you'll be able to perform this kido without the others. Grumbling to herself, Kagome looked for her victim. Her eyes met green blue as Toushiro cursed.

"Disintegrate, you black dog of Rondanini! Look upon yourself with horror and then claw out your own throat! Bakudo number nine!! Hit!!" Pouring reiatsu into it, she giggled in delight when Toushiro was surrounded by the reds light. That would teach him not to laugh at her.Then, she returned to practicing it with smaller amounts of power, trying to find just how much she needed to make it effective.

"Class!!! Who paralyzed poor Toushiro and forgot to tell me!!?" As Yumichika worked on the counter spell, Kagome snickered to herself. It wasn't like she was going to tell on herself. As the class progressed, Kagome found that she was feeling light headed. Seconds before she hit the ground, she heard Toushiro call her name.

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Toushiro cradled her body as he fell to his knees. Sure she had paralyzed him and left him standing still, unable to get help. Sure, she beat him in her ability with swords. Sure, she was annoying, even more so than Momo. But she was someone he would call friend. So when he saw her just simply fall, it was reflexive for him to catch her. As the class crowded around him, he scowled.

"What are you idiots? You don't crowd a person who's fainted!!" Cursing to himself when the class didn't back away, shook the girl softly. "Kagome? C'mon wake up lazy. I swear, this is the second time you just drop into my arms out of no where." Kagome didn't even move when he used his other hand to pull her cheek. "Aww, c'mon. You're so lazy!! I don't even see why you have a sponsor. They should stick you back out on the streets."

"If they do that, I'm gonna find you and shave you bald Toushi." Toushiro grinned.

"Really now? You'd have to get into the boy's dorms to do that."

"Don't care. I'll sneak." Toushiro chuckled when she opened one eye only to hiss a curse and close it.

"What? Are you so weak Kagome?" Kagome murmured something under her breath. "What?"

"Stupid suppressor. Won't refill." Toushiro snickered.

"What? No more reiatsu?" Kagome raised a hand and smacked him. "Ow!!!!" He moved his arms from under her, letting her drop to the ground.

"…That hurt…." Toushiro blinked at the girl as she curled into a ball. "I'm gonna get you for that." Her breath soon settled into the pattern of sleep.

"What an idiot!! She used up her reiatsu on such a weak binding!!" Toushiro barely spared the red head a glance as a member of division four carted away the girl. Truthfully, he had seen her cast the spell once before she had fallen. He wondered if it had anything to do with the suppressor she talked about. As he walked back to his spot, he silently mourned the fact that he hadn't thought to accompany her away from the kido class. Anything would be better than hearing Yumichika yell about his delightfully beautiful students.

Sadly, he didn't know that Kagome was about to wish that she had been sent to hell, because surely that was better than being stuck with Kisuke when his curiosity was awakened. I mean, come on, this is the President of the Shinigami Research Institute, isn't it? Who wouldn't fear a man that could quite possibly experiment on you, damning the consequences as if they never even existed?


	4. An Answer

Kagome groaned as she woke up. Or she could have woken up because of the groan that escaped her. Either way, she was now up, and not very happy about it. She sat up slowly, wincing at the feeling that something had just run her over and enjoyed it. Faintly, she remembered Toushiro dropping her on the ground. Kagome frowned and looked around the room. She blinked in surprise when she saw the very sharp implements that were next to her bed. Kagome edged to the side of the bed and crawled off, wincing whenever a flash of pain hit her again.

"You know, you shouldn't try to move." Suppressing a scream of surprise, Kagome spun around to face the one and only Urahara. She snorted.

"If the bed was actually comfortable, I would be tempted to stay in it. But it isn't, sorry." Kisuke smiled.

"Get back on it."

"Why in the world would I do that?" Kisuke stood and moved away from the chair he was sitting in.

"I want to talk with you Kagome. I somehow doubt that you'd enjoy me talking down to you. I doubt that you would like it even less if I ordered you to answer me truthfully." Kagome tilted her head to the side.

"You are giving me a chance to evade whatever I do not wish to answer. I would consider it noble had you not read a book that contained my life's story."

"Ah, but I wasn't finished with it yet. You see, most human lives are boring. They do the same thing day in and day out. But you, you are different. You began with a boring life and ended as a person to fear. How could that be?"

"You know very well how that came to pass. But If I must tell you, then I will." Kagome looked around the room, looking for another place to sit besides the bed. Finding none, she slunk over to the bed and climbed on. Pulling her feet to her chest, she placed her chin on top of her knees. "It began when I was fifteen and was pulled through time by something that was never supposed to exist." She frowned. "But they do, by God they do. I was brought five hundred years to the past. There I met with a hanyou, a half human half demon boy. He mistook me for his dead girlfriend and tried to kill me as she had done to him. An old woman named Kaede took me from the forest. She told me that I should never release the boy. But when the demon came back for me, I panicked. I led it away from the village and into the forest." Kagome smiled. "Even though I was pathetically weak and stood no chance against that beast, I would not let it destroy the village. That was foolish of me, I should have thought that it could always go back and kill them all for harboring me. I released the boy to fight for me. He saved my life, but only because he was spoiling for a fight. After, he tried to kill me. Kaede placed a chain on him that subdued him if I was ever in danger. Soon after, I destroyed something of great importance. The shards flew away, all over Japan. I stayed to fix it. I journeyed back to the future to visit my family, but steadily, I fell in love with the hanyou. In our travels, we met a monk, a demon slayer and her pet demon cat, and a demon boy. The hanyou's old love was resurrected from the dead using my soul. I fought and won most of it back. But the love between the hanyou and I became strained. His first love had returned. He distanced himself from me and eventually, that love ended. Before the last piece of the artifact was collected, I was asked to join a very important family as a tutor, a bodyguard to a small girl."

"How did you get into this family?" Kagome shot Kisuke a nasty glare. He chuckled nervously.

"He had watched me through he battles with his brother. He saw me as I was, a loyal but bratty woman who would stand up for what I believed in. I accepted his invitation. For two years, I was taken from the family I loved most and the family I was born with. He trained me as best he could while I was under his wing. I was in no way perfect, but I could fight on my own, without depending on others like I had before. I returned to complete my original mission when I was nineteen. It was a harsh battle, but in the end, my side won. I took the boy I called son and returned to the citadel with my…ah…boss and his daughter. The brother of the demon slayer came with us, seeking redemption; he found it with the daughter of my boss. A year later, he found even more redemption in his very own son. They moved away, I went with them. I received lessons of every type in return. As you know, I was later killed." Kisuke smiled.

"You have not spoken of the Shikon no Tama."

"And I will not."

"Why?" Kagome smiled. Urahara frowned.

"You gave me a choice. I will not tell you of it."

"Why not?"

"Something that caused so much pain should not be remembered." Kagome lowered her feet. "Will you let me receive more reiatsu?" Urahara shook his head.

"It would not be wise to let you have more power. You remember things of the past, things best forgotten. I will let you be able to draw on more when the reserves I give you bottom out." Kagome blinked.

"Refillable? Fine with me." Kagome slid off the edge of her bed. "Fix it." Kisuke quirked an eyebrow but walked forward. He dropped to his knees to reach her ankle.

"As you wish my queen." Kagome smiled.

"I was never close to that title." There was a tingle up her leg, and she smiled when she felt reiatsu flow through her once more. "But have you found why I was reduced in age?" He nodded.

"It is my belief that you were caught between your times. You died where you did not belong. Your soul was attempting to go back to the era it belonged in." Kagome snorted.

"And what happened? It downgraded me to get me through the times?" Urahara shrugged.

"I never claimed to know everything."

"You said you knew why I was this age!"

"I may have miscalculated." Kagome yanked her leg away from Kisuke's hands.

"Stop feeling me up you pervert!"

"I'm not a pervert you midget!"

"I wouldn't be a midget it if you had let me get my soul to the right timeline!"

"You should have been more careful of where you were. It is no ones fault but your own that you are dead." Kagome winced and her hands clenched. She looked around slowly as if seeing the room for the first time.

"Don't you think I know that? I shouldn't have been so careless." She let out a soft laugh. "My reputation made its way to my head. Never should I depend on words to defend me from actions. I know that now." Navy blue eyes darkened with a rage Urahara couldn't understand. "I would like to leave now."

"Why?"

"Because I want to. Where are my shoes?"

"With Soifon. I think she likes you. She's never taken an interest in anyone on the students here before."

"Does that mean that she is my sponsor?" Urahara laughed.

"Nope! She isn't. Wouldn't you love that though?" Kagome snorted.

"I doubt it." Behind Kisuke, a door swung open.

"Urahara? You in here?" Kisuke spun around.

"Kenpachi! What a pleasure to see you."

"Uh-huh. Yachiru sent something here for you to fix. I came to pick it up." Kisuke nodded and walked to a far table.

"Tell Yachiru that I am not a toy fixer. But for her, I'll do it." Kenpachi snorted when Kisuke handed him a small doll with blonde hair.

"She doesn't care if it's below you to fix it, you know that." Kenpachi's eye slid over to Kagome. "I heard you fainted in class little girl. How pathetic." Kagome blinked and then shrugged.

"I don't mind if you meant to hurt me. If he," Kagome pointed at Urahara. "Would simply let me have al my reiatsu, I'd be fine." Kenpachi smiled. Kagome didn't even flinch at the scary visage.

"You should learn to savor a fight when your opponent is as strong as you are."

"Why should I? That gives your opponent a chance to kick your butt." Kenpachi chuckled and left the room.

"Seems you made a new friend Kagome." Urahara mused softly. "How very interesting. Soifon!" The blond man turned back to a table. "Is the jewel in that box?"

"It may be. Does it matter?"

"No. Keep it safe." Kagome smiled brightly.

"Easy to accomplish." She turned away from him when the door slammed open. "Soifon!"

"Kagome. I see you've realized that there is a limit to the amount of reiatsu that you can use." Kagome shrugged.

"Do you have my shoes?"

"I do."

"Can I have them then?" Soifon handed the small girl her shoes.

"Yumichika can't wait to get you back to class tomorrow."

"What? No days off for the sick?"

"You aren't sick." Soifon intoned dryly. "Therefore you will go back to the Academy." Kagome sighed.

"Okay…" Sliding on her shoes, Kagome stuck her tongue out at Kisuke before running to the door. "Hey Soifon?"

"Hmmm?"

"Did you know that Kisuke is a pervert?" Soifon blinked.

"Huh?"

"He was feeling up my leg. So nasty…" She skipped out of the room, leaving Soifon with Kisuke.

"Urahara! What the hell did she mean!?"

"Soifon! She's lying! You know I don't like little girls! I rather women like Yoruichi, and even you!" There was a bang when one of Kisuke's tables where upturned. "Soifon! Put the table down now! I command it!" Soifon smiled nastily and tossed the table at the man. He let out an undignified shriek and dove out of the way.

"Don't you dare even look at the girl wrong again." Kisuke nodded from the corner he had rolled into. Soifon left the room with a smile on her face.

"Hurry up Soifon! I want to see Toushi!"

"Who?"

"Toushiro. The boy with the white hair. He dropped me on the ground earlier." Soifon smiled.

"It's too late to see him right now Kagome. Curfew for trainees has been called for a while."

"We have a curfew?"

"Indeed." Kagome frowned.

"That sucks."

"Yes it does. But be happy that you get to be out late today."

"Why is there a curfew?" Soifon shrugged.

"I do not know." Kagome started walking when the older woman caught up to her. Together, they left the research building together. "But it has been there for a long time." Kagome pouted. "Do you like your classes so far?"

"I was only truly awake for two. Kido and swordsmanship."

"Do you like them?"

"Maybe if Kido wasn't preceded by such a long chant. Other than that, it seems interesting."

"And the sword?"

"I know that stuff already." Soifon stopped walking.

"Do you?"

"Uh-huh." Kagome blinked and turned around when she realized Soifon had stopped walking. "Am I not supposed to?"

"Few women are allowed to fight. I remember it sometimes, the desire to fight for the village I came from. I was of course turned down. What would a woman know of violence?"

"A lot more than men." Soifon looked down at her current ward.

"How so?"

"I once saw a woman torture information out of a man. She simply wanted to see her son. He didn't want to tell her where he hid her son though. She broke him and got her information. Then she left him alive to suffer through his injuries."

"How cruel." Kagome smiled softly.

"She wanted her son. Should she have left him in the hands of the enemy instead?" Soifon shook her head. She started walking again.

"No. That would have meant his death. Did she get him back?" Kagome's eyes danced in memory.

"Oh yes." Twenty minutes later, Soifon waved goodbye to Kagome as the girl walked into her room. Kagome slowly took off her uniform, wondering what the next day had in store for her. Her musings were interrupted by a soft knock on the door.

"Kagome? It's me. Momo." Momo whispered softly. "Are you awake still?" Kagome pulled on her white outfit and opened the door.

"Momo? What are you doing here?" Momo smiled ruefully.

"I was scared. I don't think my roommate likes me." Kagome giggled.

"What could you possibly be scared of?"

"It's different here. I'm used to living on the streets with Shiro-chan. Right now, everything is still….weird."

"And you came to me to say this?" Momo blushed and ducked her head.

"I wasn't able to sneak into the boy dorms."

"You poor thing." Momo smiled when she realized Kagome was teasing her.

"I knew you would be able to tell me how your day went without being mean." Momo bit her lip. "At least I think so."

"My day was fine."

"Did you hear about the idiot upperclassman who fainted in kido? They used up their reiatsu and knocked themselves cold." Kagome grinned.

"I was that upperclassmen, unless two people fainted in the same day. Somehow, I doubt that greatly." Momo blushed.

"That was you!" She covered her mouth. "I'm so sorry." Kagome shrugged.

"It's okay. Toushi called me a lazy bum."

"He let you call him Toushi!?"

"Yes. Why?"

"He never likes it when I call him anything other than his name."

"He doesn't care." Kagome shrugged. Momo frowned. "Why? Is something wrong?"

"No." Momo let out a sigh. "I guess it means he likes you more."

"Or it could mean I'm a persistent bum." Kagome grinned. "I would have given you another name, but I figured Momo is bad enough without me torturing it." Momo smiled.

"I can't decide if that's a compliment or an insult."

"It is whatever you make it out to be." Momo shook her head.

"How is it that you're in an advanced class?" Kagome shrugged. She walked back to her bed and pulled a book off the nightstand.

"Are you staying the night?"

"Can I?"

"You can borrow one of my outfits to sleep in. I doubt you want to sleep in the uniform you'll have to wear tomorrow." Momo grinned.

"Thank you!" Kagome motioned to her closet.

"Dig one out." Momo ran to the closet and pulled out a spare yukata. "The bathroom is over there."

"You have your own private bathroom? That is so unfair! I have to share it with half my dorm floor!" Kagome shrugged.

"Sorry. You can take a bath here tomorrow."

"Thank you!" Momo ran to the bathroom. She emerged minutes later in the yukata. Kagome looked up from her book. "What are you reading?"

"A book about hollows."

"Huh?"

"Hollows."

"Why is there a book on them?"

"It tells of how they are formed. So far, I've only reached the soul chain thing. It's actually kind of interesting for a book I just started." Momo blinked.

"Can I read with you?"

"Uh-huh. I don't like it when people read over my shoulder." Momo frowned.

"Oh."

"You can test me if you wish." Momo shook her head.

"Shiro-chan is in your class right?"

"Uh-huh."

"How is he doing?" Kagome blinked.

"Momo, you've only been away from him for a day. Don't tell me you miss him so much already."

"No! It's not that! I mean, he's a god fighter and I was wondering if he was good enough for his class or if his sponsor got ahead of himself."

"He's good." Kagome settled into her pillows, moving them around to get comfortable. She closed her book and tossed it to the side. "Come on, I think my day finally caught up to me. I'm going to sleep." Momo nodded and crawled into the bed with Kagome. She settled as far as she could away from the smaller girl before drifting off to sleep.

Momo woke up later that night with a start. She sat up, looking for the cause of her disturbance. She let out a soft sound of pain when another heavy wave of reiatsu washed over her. Faintly, she remembered who she had felt such spirit energy from before. She turned to Kagome to see that the girl was still sleeping and was undisturbed by the flow of power. But it wasn't coming from her, it was from something else.

"K-Kagome…" Momo whispered, not able to yell and shout like she wanted. Kagome frowned in her sleep. "Kag…Kagome…wake up." Kagome's frown deepened. "Kagome! Wake up!" At that moment the door was thrown open.

"Kagome!" A woman with black hair ran in. Momo recognized her as the same woman who had shopped with Kagome earlier. The woman ran over to the bed and pulled short in confusion. She spun around to face a pastel colored box. The minute she touched it, she froze and an agonized scream escaped her. Soifon fell to her knees, unable to release the box. Momo gasped, trying to draw in air through all the pressure. Ten minutes later, a blonde man ran in, half dressed. He never even looked at Kagome; instead, he grabbed the box away from Soifon and ran to the window. Without a second thought, he tossed it out the half open window. As the reiatsu disappeared, Kagome sat up, gasping for air.

"Kagome?" Urahara moved to her side of the bed. "What the hell just happened?" Kagome looked up at him, eyes unfocused.

"Captain Urahara?" The man raised a hand to her forehead. The second he touched her, her eyes flashed electric blue and once again the room was filled with reiatsu. This time, Urahara was thrown backwards. Soifon managed to crawl to the bed. She pulled herself up and slapped Kagome. In that instant, the power vanished, swallowed back into its holder. Momo fell off the side of the bed in her rush to check the fallen captain. She stopped next to him and sighed in relief when she realized he was still breathing.

"Are you okay sir?" She realized he was staring at Kagome with undisguised interest.

"I am." He pushed himself to his feet unsteadily and made his way to the bed. Kagome slid out from under the covers, glaring at him.

"What just happened?"

"How am I supposed to know Kagome?"

"You're the one who wants to be a scientist. Not me." Urahara ran a hand threw his mussed hair. Kagome rolled her eyes and tossed a pillow at him. He caught it in one hand and continued walking towards her.

"What was in the box?"

"You know very well. Where is it?"

"I threw it out the window. You were hurting poor, poor Soifon." Kagome blinked and looked down at the woman who was using her bed as a back rest as she sat on the floor. "And then you broke my suppressor. How mean."

"Is it broken completely?" Urahara shook his head.

"No, it seems Soifon smacked you at the breaking point. It was saved. It is salvageable." It was then when other people decided to rush into the room. Half of the people were Shinigami, authorized to be there. The other half was a spill of Academy students, both male and female, who wanted to see what was happening. Kagome blinked and stared at the invading mass. Half of the shinigami bowed when they saw the captain, some of the others just nodded acknowledgement but didn't take their eyes off the window. Even in the room, there was still a faint pulse of the reiatsu that was undoubtedly crushing people outside.

"Captain Urahara, what is going on here?"

"Welll….you know how Yamamoto-sama made me and Soifon stay here to watch over our newest addition to the Academy?" The white haired man nodded. "Well, this is one of the reasons. Like Kenpachi, her reiatsu is powerful. She can overpower me with a thought. She did it when she first reached here. To weaken her, I set a suppressor on her. I think her power is trying to break through it's bindings to return to its master." Kagome rolled her eyes from behind his back. She walked to the window when she felt someone make it to the box. Standing with the box in his hands was the man she had seen earlier. He stared at it curiously and then scratched his head.

"Excuse me!!!" The man looked up. "Could you toss that up here? It's mine! Urahara-san tossed it out the window when it overpowered Soifon." Nodding his head, the spiky-haired man jumped, reaching her window easily. He perched on the window sill and peered at her with his uncovered eye.

"What's in it?"

"Power, reiatsu. Urahara-san sealed some into the box, but I guess it was too much for even him. Thank you…"

"Kenpachi, Kenpachi Zaraki.

"I'm Kagome Higurashi." She motioned to the box in his hands. "Can I have it back to shut it up?" Kenpachi handed her the box. It flared bright silver and then fell dormant.

"Interesting."

"I try hard to be." Kagome grinned brightly and placed the box on her lap.

"Kagome?" Kagome looked across to see her newest friend.

"Toushi? Are you even supposed to be in this building?" Toushiro sighed.

"Can't a person go a night without something interesting happening? First you get us dragged to the Academy and now you wake up half the Shinigami around. Gee, how grand."

"Are you jealous?" Toushiro snorted.

"Hardly. I would like a day of rest far removed from you though."

"Nobody told you to come up here. So beat it Toush-Toush." Momo let out a surprised bark of laughter at the look on Tousiro's face.

"It's Toushiro! Toushiro damnit! Hitsugaya if you must, but never Toush-Toush."

"What? You don't like Toush-Toush? Petty, petty." Kagome smiled brightly. "Now, if everyone would please, please leave. I need to get my rest." Urahara rolled his eyes and helped Soifon to her feet.

"Soifon? When Yoruichi returns, tell her that I need to speak with her." He passed her on to the white haired man that had spoken earlier. "Ukitake, my dearest frie-."

"What do you want?"

"You make it seem as if I only ask you for favors."

"You do." Kisuke frowned.

"Well, that's a mistake I should rectify someday."

"You will forget as you have many times past. But what is your request?" Kisuke grinned.

"Bring Soifon to her room? It's on the bottom floor." Ukitake rolled his eyes.

"Sure, sure." The man turned and walked to the door, his hands keeping Soifon balanced. He stopped next to Toushiro. "Toushiro?"

"Yes sir?"

"Do any of your friends call you Shiro?" Toushiro stared at him, puzzled.

"One. Why?" The man grinned.

"Ohh!! We'll have such fun together Shiro-chan! I too am a Shiro-chan!!" He smiled brightly.

"Sir, please don't call me Shiro-chan."

"Why not Shiro-chan?" The man shrugged. "I'll see you later Urahara." Ukitake left the room smiling.Toushiro frowned. He looked back at Kagome.

"Why do I think he'll keep calling me that?"

"He probably will." Kagome grinned. "Now can I have my room back?" As everyone left her room, Kagome sighed in relief. She grabbed Momo's arm before she left. "You can stay if you wish? I meant the other people."

"What, you have this room to yourself?" Kasgome nodded. Toushiro sighed. "That isn't fair!" Urahara sighed.

"I'll be leaving you now. I want to sleep."

"No one told you to come up here." Kisuke snorted.

"I was planning not to come. It was my luck that Soifon was unable to handle you." Kagome stuck her tongue out at the blonde man. Urahara waved as he ambled out of the room. Toushiro followed. Momo shut the door. She smiled shakily at Kagome.

"Will this be happening every night?" Kagome smiled brightly.

"Can't promise you a thing. Sorry."


	5. Not Quite Sane

_**Sorry I took so long….I know, I'm a very bad person… oops? I'm updating now though, see!?**_

Kagome woke up with an unfamiliar weight on her chest. She froze and held her breath, looking down to see what was pressing down on her. A smile lit her face when she realized that some time during the night; Momo had rolled over and began using her as a pillow. The smile that graced her face slowly slipped away, turning into a frown. Her eyebrow's pulled together in confusion and then her eye started to twitch. Kagome glared down at Momo.

"Momo…" She pulled a hand out from under the girl's cheek. "Momo!" The girl slept on, oblivious to the annoyance of her newest friend. Kagome's eyes narrowed in anger, snapping to a vibrant blue. An evil grin twisted her lips as she took a deep breath. "MOMO!"

The girl sat up abruptly, looking around wildly. Kagome mentally congratulated her for staying silent.

"K'me? What is...it?" The girl's question was interrupted by a yawn. She wiped her eyes absently as she looked around.

"You drooled on me."

"Eh?"

"You…drooled…on…me."

Momo turned pinked and then blinked innocently.

"Wha?"



"YOU DROOLED ON ME!! I'LL KILL YOU!!" The raven haired girl sat up quickly as Momo rolled over the side of the bed. Kagome lunged after her. Momo screamed as she rolled out of the way and into the wall.

"K-K-Kagome! I can explain. I mean, it wasn't my fault…I mean, it was an accident!" She held her arms in front of her face when Kagome still drew nearer. Then she blinked in surprise when the younger girl started laughing.

"Y-Your face was so p-p-priceless!!" Kagome laughed harder when Mom glared at her. "It was like… 'NOOO!! Don't kill me!!'." Kagome laughed even harder when Momo's reiatsu flared out. She could compare their power between a kitten and a fully matured psycho lioness crazed by hunger… it just couldn't and wouldn't ever match up.

"That wasn't funny!"

"Yes it was. But really…drool?" Kagome pulled the fabric away from her body with a grimace of distaste. "Ick." She sighed. "And I was going to let you get first shower." Kagome walked over to her closet and pulled underwear out before slipping into the bathroom. "Help yourself to breakfast. Soifon may come soon, tell her I'm attempting to be on time today."

"Okay Kaogme." Momo sighed and made her way to the fridge only for her eyes to go wide. There was…so…much…food!! The brown haired girl let out a happy shriek as she dived into the fridge, content to eat her little heart out.

Ten minutes later, Kagome emerged from the bathroom. She was drying her hair with a towel.

"Bathroom's free."

Momo looked up from her plate of food and nodded. Kagome blinked and stared at her.

"Do I even want to know why it looks like you've eaten everything I've ever had in that fridge?" She said in an oddly monotonous voice, clutching her towel to her not even developing chest and letting the other one drop to her shoulders.

Momo gulped down the lump of food that had caught in her throat and ran into the bathroom. She stuck her head out the door moments later.

"Ummm…Kagome?"

"Hn."

"I don't have anything to wear under this… umm…can you do a quick run to my room?"

Kagome stared at her and then looked down. She was clad in a towel. Momo sighed.

"Never mind…I'll just be really late to class."

Kagome sighed and walked over to her closet and opened it. She dug out undies for Momo and threw them at the blushing girl's face.

"Haven't worn those. Actually, everything I own is pretty much brand new. I know they won't fit right, but at least you have something on right? Do you need anything else?" The other girl shook her head and ducked back into the bathroom. Kagome sighed softly and turned to her uniform which sat folded on her desk. Letting her towel drop, she pulled on her top, deftly smoothing out the tiny wrinkles that marred it. When the door swung open, she didn't notice. When it slammed shut, she whirled around. Hurriedly pulling on the bottoms of her uniform, she opened ran to the door and opened it. She didn't expect to find Toushiro leaning against the wall.

"You, Toush-Toush, are a class-A pervert."

The boy sputtered with indignance.

"What do you mean I'm a pervert!?"

"You just barge into my room, find me half dressed and instead of apologizing like any **normal**person would you run away. Class-A pervert is what you are."

"I am not!"

"Sure!" Kagome snorted and spun around to march back into her room. She slammed the door shut in Toushiro's face and stomped over to the table. Once there, she grabbed Momo's plate and viciously attacked the meal that was waiting there. The door opened.

"I'm sorry. But normally, when I walk in on people, I get things thrown at me."

Kagome blinked up at Toushiro.

"S'okay. Want some breakfast?"

Toushiro blinked in surprise.

"Um…sure?" He replied nervously.

Kagome pointed at the fridge. Toushiro walked over to it and rummaged through for his meal. When the bathroom door opened, Kagome watched as Momo walked out, clad in a towel.

"Momo!! Toush-Toush came to visit!"

Momo let out a distressed squawk and dived back into the bathroom and the door slammed shut behind her. Kagome laughed evilly. Toushiro blinked at her.

"She drooled on me this morning." Kagome explained.

Toushiro blinked.

"It was icky." Kagome replied.

Toushiro's eyebrow rose.

"I didn't enjoy it at all. I scrubbed the area extra hard." Kagome pointed at her chest. "It sucked."

Toushiro very slowly looked down at his food.

"Don't give me that look!" Kagome pouted.

Toushiro very deliberately ate his meal. Kagome stuck her tongue out at him before walking over to her desk and picking up Momo's uniform. She walked to the bathroom and cracked open the door.

"Here's your uniform."

Momo grabbed at it.

"Thank you."

"Don't mention it. Hurry up or we'll be late."

"Okay." The door shut. Kagome wandered back to the table and then changed direction and headed to her bed. She walked over to her desk and grabbed a book at random. She turned when someone knocked on the door. Soifon walked in. Kagome winced at the dark circle under the woman's eyes.

"I'm very sorry for waking you last night, and causing you such pain."

"It's fine. It wasn't intentional." A smile flitted across the woman's face. "Besides, my captain is coming back soon, so I have something to look forward to." She paused. "Not that looking after you isn't fun."

Kagome shrugged.

"Oh!" She exclaimed. "I forgot to introduce you!" She motioned to Toushiro. "Soifon, Toushiro Hitsugaya. I call him Toush-Toush. Toushi, Soifon."

"Is she your sponsor?"

"No…" Kagome pouted and then shrugged. "But this is my partner in that weapon class thingy. And my friend."

Toushiro snorted.

"We are **not** friends."

Kagome frowned.

"I'm kicking your ass today." She deadpanned. Kagome spun to the bathroom when Momo came out. "We're going to be late. Want me to walk with you to class?" Momo shook her head. Kagome shrugged. "Okay. Toush-Toush?"

"I go to the same class you do. I suppose this is inevitable."

Kagome, Soifon and Momo stared at him.

"Yes." He sighed out.

The trio stopped staring at him.

"Well, see you later Momo. You can stay with me tonight too if you want."

The ten year old girl smiled happily before running off to her class. Soifon and Kagome giggled as Momo tripped over her own feet before catching herself. They set off towards their class, ignoring each other on the way there. Once there Kagome waved to Soifon before walking into class, this time early. The duo split off as they went to their seats. Kagome sighed and pulled the book from her top, opening it to read. Below her, Toushiro stared at the desk in the center boredly, waiting for their teacher to arrive. When their teacher arrived ten minutes later, Kagome was lost in her book and Toushiro was attempting to secretly find ways to hang himself as the girl he sat next to prattled on and on and on.

"He-llo class!"

A smattering of responses answered his good natured greeting. Yumichika froze.

"I said, **hello class**."

This time, almost everyone replied

He smiled brightly.

"Wonderful my little students. Now, today we will be learning about Hollows and where they come from. Please retrieve whatever information that you hold in your tiny little brains and prepare to be questioned… a lot. And if you answer the questions to my liking, I may show you the white lightning kido thing it today instead of a week from now." The students straightened. Normally, they were taught one kido per week. "It's normally classified as a number four, but depending on the amount of reiatsu put into it, it can be so much more. If you pass my test…I'll let you go wild. Of course, we also have a person to spar with my adorable little genius. She didn't want to come on such short notice but I..umm…convinced," He coughed suddenly and it sounded suspiciously like _bribed_. "Her to come down here and work with my class. And since I want my students to be prepared, I want to teach them this kido spell before she comes and meets." He coughed again, this time it sounded oddly reminiscent to _annihilates_. "You kids. Okay?" The class nodded in excitement. Who could he have gotten to come down to the Academy…and who would win the spar? Everyone perked up as he began his lecture on Hollows and how they were formed. Ten minutes later, when the questions began, almost everyone shrunk back into their seats to be as far as possible from the mad glint in their teachers eyes. Only one person didn't catch it…because said person was reading a book…not very healthy considering their teacher.

"Kagome!! Answer this question. What lies behind a Hollow's mask?"

Clear but confused eyes stared at him.

"Uh…it's face?" She smiled cheerfully.

Yumichika frowned.

"Where you even listening to me?"

"Uh-uh. But behind a Hollow's mask resides either it's true face, as the person it was before death, or what forced it to become a Hollow in the first place. For example, the longing for a sister's forgiveness would eventually warp a soul's mind until it turns into a Hollow. In which case if you break the mask, it can return to itself for a moment in time."

"Very good!! That goes beyond the answer I expected…especially since you were right when you just said its face…" The class stared at the six year old girl who shrugged and went back to her book. The black haired man grinned evilly as he searched for his next victim. "Abarai!! What is it that forms the hole in a Hollow's chest?" And so the hour slipped by, their teacher somehow managing to question each and every person in the class.

"Well…. I guess it's time for some kido…since I promised. Come my students. I shall show you Hadou number four, Byakurai." The class filed out of their seats and Toushiro waited until Kagome was passing by to fall into step next to her.

"Do I even want to know how you knew so much about the Hollows?"

Kagome snickered and held up her book to cover her face. Toushiro stared at the title.

"You would read something titled _Hollows for Dummies_. I can't believe you cheated."

"I did not cheat." Kagome replied. "I merely used available resources." She smiled brightly. "Besides, we get a new Kido. I think those are interesting." Toushiro fought the urge to inch away from her when her eyes took on an unholy gleam. "I will learn them all." She flung back her head and laughed evilly…ignoring the students that sidled by her to get out of the class. Shaking his head, Toushiro followed the flood of students. He should have known she was going to turn out to be truly insane. Why had he even thought she was sane? Kagome caught up with him seconds later, slipping her book into her top.

"Walk far away from me. I don't want people to think we're associated."

Kagome smiled brightly.

"Sucks to be you then Toush-Toush!" She grabbed his hand and proceeded to skip, yes skip, to the kido fields, blithely ignoring Toushiro's protests. Once there, the students lined up as instructed and watched Yumichika as he demonstrated their newest kido.

"Now my dearest children, you must focus your reiatsu and push it down your fingers. Once there, I expect to see sparks. Keep your fingers pointed away from your class. Some of the more enthusiastic people may actually form shots. This is just a higher elevation of the same hadou." He clapped his hands together. "Now, hadou number four, Byakurai!" He pointed at the target and the class watched as lightening crackled into life around his fingers and then shot across the yard, decimating the target. Toushiro's green blue gaze slipped sideways to the girl standing by his side.

"I bet you I can kill the target." She murmured.

"If you can, so can I." He replied snidely.

Kagome grinned evilly.

"Be prepared to lose Toush-Toush." Evil laughter spilled from her lips. Toushiro felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up, but put it off as static electricity. Next to him, Kagome focused her reiatsu as directed.

"You can begin now my dears!" Yumichika chirped.

A blast of lightning ripped across the field, slamming into the target and obliterating it. The class turned to where the blast had originated from.

"Ooops?" Kagome smiled innocently. When the class turned away, she turned to Toushiro. "Beat that Toush-Toush."

Toushiro's eyes flashed in defiance as he gathered his reiatsu. He murmured the chant under his breath, pointing almost lazily at the target. Lightning ripped into the target, destroying it and continuing into the wall behind drilling a hole into it. He turned to Kagome, a cocky smile on his face, only to gasp when he saw her bangs drifting upwards as sparks raced over her hand. She smirked at him.

"I'm just getting started Toush-Toush." And then the lightning flew, obliterating the second target and the wall behind it. The blast continued on, crashing into the building beyond the wall and through its wall. This time, the class didn't stop staring at the petite six year old. Screams echoed from the building as students ran out of the front door. Their sensei ran out, sword in hand as he searched for an attacking enemy. Yumichika stared at the girl and then back at the wall. His eyes repeated the same circuit many times.

"You, you are my most adorable student!! I love you!! You are awesomeness of awesome! I shall endeavor to apprentice you to Unit 11, because you're so adorably violent…rather like Yachiru if I think about it…."

"Uhhuh…. I think I'll stay as I am."

Toushiro pouted. Kagome smiled. Yumichika looked disheartened.

"Ah…well…if that is your choice…"

"It is." Kagome smiled at Yumichika disarmingly.

"Well, you and your little friend need to practice the lower version of this spell…if it's possible?" Kagome nodded enthusiastically to her teacher's words. She spun and grabbed Toushiro's hand. He yelped when lightning arced between them. It didn't hurt him, but it just felt weird to be connected to the girl, no his friend like this. Kagome laughed as their connection erupted in a flurry of sparks, blasting upwards and exploding.

"Was that good, Sensei?"

"Ahh…yes? Um, free period?" Yumichika walked away, sounding unsure as he helped other students learn the kido chant properly. Kagome sat down and created arcs of lightning between her hands. Toushiro sighed and joined her. In minutes, they had a game of pass the condensed ball of lightning without touching going.

_**I know, kinda short and I've seemed o have disappeared off the face of the earth. Don't mean to. Between college, a job, and a life, I lose track of time. Sorry!! I think I'll try uploading more chapters, but they'll be a bit shorter so I actually make some sort of progress in life.**_

_**Cheers?**_


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